Scranton Seeks State Funds for Dark School Routes
Families who drive or walk Providence Road for evening school events could see safer lighting if the district's grant request is approved.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation Mike Carroll visited Scranton High School on Monday to meet with district officials and PennDOT representatives about poor lighting along Providence Road and around Scranton Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Scranton School District submitted an application to the Pennsylvania Multimodal Transportation Fund the previous Friday, seeking funds to address the lighting.
Why it matters
Students and families traveling to and from evening games and after-school activities pass through poorly lit stretches, and community members have complained about the conditions for a long time. The district says it reached out to city and state officials after identifying the lighting as a safety concern, which is why the issue now has a state-level audience.
Poor lighting affects Providence Road and the area around Scranton Veterans Memorial Stadium, and Olive Street is described as a very dark intersection. The district turns on softball field lights during Bell game events to add some lighting to the area.
The players
Mike Carroll
Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, who oversees state roadway and transportation funding that affects routes students travel to school.
Tom Borthwick
President of the Scranton School District Board, who has voiced concern for student and family safety over the lighting.
Dr. Erin Keating
Superintendent of the Scranton School District, who has voiced concern for student and family safety over the lighting.
PennDOT
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the state agency that maintains state roadways and administers transportation safety programs.
The details
The district contacted city and state officials and brought Secretary Carroll into the discussion after identifying the lighting as a safety concern. The Pennsylvania Multimodal Transportation Fund provides grants for transportation improvements and safety, and the district's application was submitted Friday. Board President Tom Borthwick and Superintendent Dr. Erin Keating have said they are concerned for student and family safety. The district hopes the grant will help mitigate the lighting conditions, and improvements would also benefit other stadium users, including PIAA playoff teams and Lackawanna College.
Timeline
Friday: Scranton School District submitted its Pennsylvania Multimodal Transportation Fund grant application.
Monday: Secretary Mike Carroll visited Scranton High School and met with district officials and PennDOT representatives.
The Home Front
Scranton families who rely on Providence Road for evening games and after-school activities may see the lighting question resolved through state transportation funding rather than district spending alone. Local school safety concerns of this kind often move through state grant programs, which can change how quickly a neighborhood route is improved.
If your household travels Providence Road or near Scranton Veterans Memorial Stadium for school events, plan extra time and use caution in low-light conditions until the district reports on the grant decision. Parents of students who attend evening games can talk with their school about pickup routes and transportation options.
The takeaway
Lighting along school routes is a safety issue that can move through state transportation grant programs when local districts apply for them. Families who drive or walk these routes can ask the district about planned improvements and safe pickup arrangements for evening events.
Further reading
For more on how schools handle these issues, see Secondary Education coverage in Scranton.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WOLF.
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